


Secrets Revealed

by TheKinkAwakens (thekinkawakens)



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fix-It, Multi, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-27
Updated: 2017-11-27
Packaged: 2019-02-04 12:03:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12770670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thekinkawakens/pseuds/TheKinkAwakens
Summary: At any given point, it was estimated that every person in the galaxy had somewhere between 3 to 6 living soulmates of bonding age. However, the galaxy was large, and the chances of meeting even one was astronomical. It was so rare that most considered it mere legend, the same way that many thought the Force was just a myth.Obi-Wan knew that soulmates were as real as the Force was. After all, he had met two of his.





	Secrets Revealed

**Author's Note:**

  * For [darlingargents](https://archiveofourown.org/users/darlingargents/gifts).



At any given point, it was estimated that every person in the galaxy had somewhere between 3 to 6 living soulmates of bonding age. However, the galaxy was large, and the chances of meeting even one was astronomical. It was so rare that most considered it mere legend, the same way that many thought the force was just a myth. 

Obi-Wan knew that soulmates were as real as the force was. After all, he had met two of his. 

As he entered Padmé’s suite he felt a warmth spread through him and was once again overcome by his love for Padmé and Anakin. It was followed by a tinge of guilt. The Jedi council took his visits to Padmé at face value, if they knew of his bond he’d never be allowed to visit. Like everyone else though, they were unable to sense the bond that Obi-Wan kept hidden through the force. 

When he’d first met Padmé and Anakin they’d been too young to register as soulmates. He’d still felt an unexplainable connection to them. It had lead him to fight to keep Anakin as his Padawan. The bond with Anakin had grown as he matured and Obi-Wan had felt a growing need to be near him. At first, he’d assumed it was the connection all Jedi Masters felt towards their Padawans. He’d realized it for what it really was before Anakin’s ability to connect to the force allowed him to sense it. By the time he had come of age Obi-Wan had been shielding the connection for years from his end.

Jedi did not have soulmates. He had promised Anakin that he would one day be a Jedi, and he would not have anything stand in the way of that, least of all himself. He’d stayed up for nights learning how to block the bond, and agonizing over whether he should. Using old Jedi texts he’d learned a way to hide the bond from even the Jedi council and he had promised himself that Anakin would never know. 

Padmé was waiting for him in her sitting room, staring out at the planet below. Her eyes were worried as she turned to greet him. “Thank you for coming to keep me company Obi-Wan, I’m sure you have better things to be doing.”

“Senator, there is little on this planet that can hold a candle to your company,” Obi-Wan answered truthfully. Outside of the Jedi Order, Padmé was one of the few people he regularly had the opportunity to meet socially. Usually they met to discuss political concerns, or catch up on senate gossip. Today she sat with barely contained nervous energy.

Padmé had been an entirely different surprise. While Obi-Wan had noted Anakin’s fixation with the once queen he’d never considered that they might have been soulmates, or that Obi-Wan would share a connection with her as well. 

When she’d come back into their lives he’d had to act quick to cut off the bond before she noticed. If Anakin hadn’t been with Obi-Wan he knew she would have caught onto the truth. Instead she’d focused in on Anakin. Obi-Wan had blocked the bond as they’d stared into each other’s eyes, both flushed and wide-eyed. 

He could not block the love they felt for each other. Nor did he want to. While he’d taken the steps all Jedi were supposed to when encountering a distraction like a soulmate, he knew that they’d have to make a decision for themselves about what to do with their soul bond.

For now, they seemed to be dealing with it with youthful optimism. Obi-Wan couldn’t pretend to be surprised, Anakin was not known for his self-control. 

It had been bittersweet to watch their bond grow while keeping his distance. But he couldn’t deny himself simple pleasures like afternoon teas with Padmé. Other times, like today, he would come to offer her support and counsel. 

“I’m concerned about Anakin, he’s clearly upset about something,” Padmé confided in him, not for the first time. Padmé had no real connection to the force, but she read people better than most Jedi Masters. 

Obi-Wan nodded sympathetically. “I know, but he does get in his moods occasionally Padmé. If I knew a trick to snap him out of them I’d have had a much easier time dealing with him when he was fourteen,” Obi-Wan said. Padmé smiled weakly at his jest. 

“Surely there’s something you can say to him to get him to talk. Obi-Wan, you know how much he respects your opinion and guidance,” Padmé said.

Obi-Wan wanted to make another teasing comment but Padmé’s brow was creased in genuine distress. 

He remembered what Anakin had said about first meeting Padmé; he’d thought she’d been an angel. If such a creature existed it would be Padmé. She was as kind and caring as she was fierce and protective. 

“I will try,” he conceded. “Tell me, what specifically is he doing to worry you? I know you said he seems upset, but you know him as well as I do. His emotions wane and wax like the moons. What has caused you such extra concern?”

“It is difficult to explain,” Padmé said, then hesitated. “Obi-Wan, I feel I must be honest with you even though I think you’re more aware of the truth than you let on. For a while now I have been in a relationship with Ani.” 

“I did have some idea that you two were closer than strictly platonic acquaintances,” Obi-Wan said dryly. One didn’t have to have a soul bond, a connection with the force, and the title of Jedi Master to see the way the two were always gazing into each other’s eyes and letting their touches linger. Despite both of their experiences with undercover missions, they had no ability to hide their relationship. It was a miracle that the Jedi Council hadn’t found out. 

“It’s more than that. We’re soulmates Obi-Wan,” Padmé said. She clearly expected the news to come as a shock to Obi-Wan. What was surprising to him was the way the words pierced his heart. It wasn’t jealousy, he realized. It was the knowledge that if Obi-Wan had lived a different life she’d be saying those words to him in an entirely different way. He tried to push down the pang of regret, but he felt his expression slipping. “You don’t approve,” Padmé said.

“No, that’s not it,” Obi-Wan said. Padmé was looking at him expectantly, but he didn’t know how to elaborate without giving himself away so he changed the subject. “Does your bond have something to do with your worry?”

“Yes. I can feel a deep turmoil in him, deeper than anything else I’ve felt. He wakes up from bad dreams night after night and disappears for days without telling me where he’s gone. I love Anakin completely, but he’s becoming someone I can barely recognize. Tell me you haven’t noticed something as well Obi-Wan?”

He had noticed Anakin distancing himself, but he’d put it down to Anakin attempting to keep his relationship with Padmé from Obi-Wan. It had hurt Obi-Wan more than he’d expected. He supposed he may have been negligent by allowing Anakin to create that distance, but he’d done it for both of their sakes. 

“Anakin has been receiving more solo missions, so I have not seen him as much as I used to. I’ll go track him down though and see if I can’t find the truth of what is bothering him,” Obi-Wan said. He got up to leave, but Padmé stopped him.

“Obi-Wan,” Padmé said, putting a hand on Obi-Wan’s arm. “I am sorry for keeping the truth from you. Other than Anakin you are the only person I feel I can be fully myself with.”

“I quite understand Padmé. We all must keep our own secrets occasionally. I’ll let you know how the talk with Anakin goes,” Obi-Wan said.

He waited for Anakin in an enclave outside of the building that held Palpatine’s office. It took a while for Anakin to appear. When he left the building his expression was grim and distracted. As Anakin approached, Obi-Wan let the shields he always kept up drop briefly. He could feel the turmoil Padmé spoke of coming off of Anakin in waves. More concerning, he felt a shadow of darkness wrapped around his Padawan like tendrils of an arboreal octopus.  He brought the shields back up as he left the enclave and approached Anakin.

“Anakin, it’s been too long since I’ve seen you. Come and take a walk with me,” Obi-Wan said. He noted the dark shadows under Anakin’s eyes.

“Sorry master, but I already made plans to see someone else,” Anakin said.

“Padmé won’t mind me stealing a bit of your time away,” Obi-Wan said. He pretended not to notice the guilty look that appeared on Anakin’s face at his comment. Wisely, Anakin didn’t attempt to deny his claim. Obi-Wan waited until they were some distance from Palpatine’s to speak again. “Actually, I was speaking to her earlier. She is worried about you Anakin.”

“There is nothing to be worried about,” Anakin said. His voice and stance were defensive, but Obi-Wan continued calmly.

“You don’t look like you’ve been sleeping lately. Have you been keeping up on your meditations Anakin?” Obi-Wan asked.

“You know I’ve never had much talent for clearing my mind Master. And it’s nothing, just bad dreams.”

“Sometimes dreams are more than they appear. Occasionally they are the way the force attempts to communicate with us. Other times they are the result of unresolved emotions that leak into one’s subconscious.”

“I have complete control of my emotions Master,” Anakin growled. Obi-Wan stopped walking and turned to him, lifting a single brow.

“Clearly,” he said.

“If you came here to say something, then say it. I have better things to do than be lectured like I’m still some youngling,” Anakin said.

“Very well. Anakin, you are in turmoil. If you don’t wish to speak to me, then I think you should go to a mind healer and have them figure out whatever it is that is bothering you. You might not always be fond of the Jedi way, but unresolved emotion blocks one’s connection to the light side of the force,” Obi-Wan said. 

“I feel as connected to the force as ever Master. I am not the one with the problem,” Anakin said. 

“Is that so? I’d be curious to hear who is then,” Obi-Wan said. Anakin threw up his hands in frustration. 

“The entire order of Jedi. The Jedi council is filled with fools. All they do is deny themselves and each other out of fear. They say I am afraid, but they are the ones who are afraid. Afraid of feeling, of things outside of their control,” Anakin said, his voice rising as he spoke. “Not only that, but they are too weak to see the full power of the force. They limit themselves needlessly.” 

While the first part was familiar and were things Obi-Wan had heard countless times from Anakin, the last part of his argument was new. Obi-Wan felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up in warning. “You’re speaking like a Sith Anakin. Who have you been talking to that has convinced you of such foolishness?”

“There’s nothing foolish about it. Why should I care about the will of the council? All the council has ever done is take from me. But they won’t take me away from Padmé like they took me away from my mother. I won’t allow it,” Anakin said harshly.  He realized too late that he’d given himself away and quieted, crossing his arms defiantly over his chest. 

“Is that what this is about? Your soul-bond with Padmé? Surely you're proving the council’s point if that is what has lead you to such talk.” Obi-Wan spoke out of frustration, but he regretted his words immediately when Anakin pulled back further, eyes darkening in anger. 

“What do you know of soulmates Obi-Wan? You have no idea what it means to have something so irreplaceable. I can’t lose Padmé. I don’t care what the Jedi Council has to say, they never wanted me to be a Jedi anyway,” Anakin said, turning to walk away.

“Anakin, stop,” Obi-Wan commanded, using his mission voice. Anakin hesitated, but he stopped and turned around to glare daggers at Obi-Wan. 

Obi-Wan took a moment to gather himself, frustrated that things had gotten so out of control. None of this was going as he planned.

“I understand more than you know Anakin,” Obi-Wan said. He sighed. “You’re right about one thing Anakin, the council never wanted you to be a Jedi. They said you felt too deeply, and every year I’ve been with you you’ve proven them more correct. You will never be the type of Jedi they want you to be,” Obi-Wan said. It was something he’d avoided even thinking for years, but now that he’d spoken the words it felt like a weight had been lifted from his chest. He’d been afraid, he realized. Afraid of what that truth meant.

He walked over to Anakin who was looking at the ground, eyes wet with angry tears. He wrapped an arm around him. “That does not mean you won’t still be a great Jedi Anakin. I know that at your core you are a good man. You were good when I first met you, as a child who’d been enslaved his entire life but was still willing to fight for what was right. All of your anger, your fear, your rebellion. It has always been because we didn’t let you be the type of good you really were. The flaw the council saw wasn’t fear Anakin, it was love. You love too deeply to be controlled. But I’ve also seen the way love has guided you to do good. I think it could be your greatest strength if you weren’t constantly told to fight it.”

“Master,” Anakin’s voice was rough. He buried his head into Obi-Wan’s chest. “I don’t know what to do. Please help me.” 

Obi-Wan held him tightly as he thought, mind running through strategies and options as it did when he was on the battlefield. There was no simple solution. The more he lingered on the problem, the more problems became apparent. There was no easy approved path to go down, no Jedi teachings to fall back on. Despite that, Obi-Wan was filled with a new sense of confidence and purpose.

“There have been many great Jedi who’ve gone against the olden ways, Anakin. My own master often went against the wishes of the council. The light side of the force is not the sole domain of the Jedi Council. You’ll just have to find another path. But if anyone can do it, surely the prophesied one can,” Obi-Wan said.  

“The council will banish me and forbid you from seeing me master,” Anakin said. “I can’t do this without you.”

Obi-Wan’s heart hurt at the very thought of being separated. He thought of the choice he’d made years ago to block the bond. He was at another crossroads, but the choice this time was easier to make. “We’ll find a way. Together,” he promised. 

“But Master,” Anakin protested, pulling slightly away to look at Obi-Wan.

“Hush, I know what I’m saying. We have more to talk of, but first let’s go find Padmé. She is no doubt worrying a hole through her very expensive carpets,” Obi-Wan said. 

As they made their way to Padmé’s apartment Anakin confessed some of the things Palpatine had said to him about the council and the small missions he’d been asking Anakin to run. Obi-Wan resisted the urge to swear colorfully about the snake of a diplomat. One way or another he’d make sure the man was dealt with. Whether he was a Sith accolade, or just a diplomat willing to utilize whatever means necessary to tear the Jedi council apart, Obi-Wan would expose him to the council and the senate. 

In silent agreement, they both stopped talking as they entered Padmé’s suite. While Obi-Wan would plot vengeance, Padmé would act with a quick and forceful hand that neither of them were prepared to deal with. 

Padmé took one look at them and immediately came over to embrace Anakin.

“Ani, I was so worried. I’m glad you’re okay,” Padmé said, sensing the change in his temperament. She reached out a hand to Obi-Wan, and mouthed her thanks as Anakin returned her embrace. 

“I’m sorry for worrying you Padmé. I just felt helpless. I couldn’t’ stand the thought of losing you, and learning of your pregnancy made everything so much more real,” Anakin said.

“Pregnancy?” Obi-Wan asked in surprise. He reached out with the force, and sure enough he felt the extra warmth coming from Padmé.

“I’m sorry Obi-Wan, it seems like today is a day filled with secrets being revealed,” Padmé said. 

“Congratulations,” Obi-Wan said sincerely. He hesitated, feeling an uncharacteristic surge of fear and worry. It was a day for truths though, and if they were going to move forward then there was one more thing that had to be done. “I also have a secret. I am not sure how you both will take it. To be honest, until just this moment I wasn’t sure if it was something I was ever going to say.”

“What is it Master?” Anakin asked. His face was open, arms still entwined with Padmé’s. Obi-Wan wondered if it was truly right to put himself between them. They were having a child. It hardly seemed the time. Anakin seemed to sense his hesitancy, “Please master, let us support you the way you’ve supported us.”

“Anakin, I known you’ve always hated when I’ve done things for your own good without consulting you. But know that I thought what I was doing was necessary at the time. I never wanted to hide things from the two of you, but the Jedi path is paved with self-denial,” he said. He knew he was still being vague. Padmé’s eyes had widened though, if anyone could see through cryptic words it was her.

It was easier to show than explain. Obi-Wan closed his eyes and felt within himself and dropped the shields that blocked his bonds. He was overcome with the full feeling of both of the bonds for the first time. Suddenly two sets of arms were wrapped around him.

They stood in silence for several long moments, wrapped around each other and taking in the moment.

“I’m furious with you,” Anakin finally said against his hair. “I’m going to yell at you later.”

“It was cruel of you to keep this from us,” Padmé agreed. 

“I know,” Obi-Wan said, rubbing both of their backs.

Walking back to Padmé’s Obi-Wan had pictured them quickly packing, making plans to leave the Jedi Council. Instead he found himself laying down on a chaise with Anakin beside him, and Padmé laying across the both of them like a lazy littin. 

“At some point, we’ll need to think of a next step,” Anakin said.

“My next step is to sleep,” Obi-Wan said. “This secret business has worn me out. I’ll be quite fine without any further great reveals for the rest of my life.” 

“I do have one final secret. This one neither of you knows” Padmé said. Obi-Wan groaned, burying his face into Anakin’s neck.

“I don’t think I’ll survive it,” Obi-Wan said. Anakin laughed.

“What is it?” Anakin asked. Padmé reached for a holo on the table near them.

“I was going to wait until the ship arrived, but Anakin, as soon as you told me about your dreams of your mother I reached out to some of my connections. This came three days ago,” Padmé said, turning on the holodisk to reveal an older woman who looked strikingly familiar.

“My mother,” Anakin said.

“She will be arriving in Naboo within a few days’ time. It was not easy to locate her again, and those I sent to find her said she was being watched. But she is safe now and will arrive on my home planet soon,” Padmé said. 

Anakin reached over and kissed her, arms still wrapped tightly around Obi-Wan. “Then it seems like our first step is to find a way to Naboo.”


End file.
